Since these new Dual SIM cards are going to be out in less than a month {if we can trust the various vendors}: I hereby start a thread to discuss various issues with them!

Question 1: What area code did you get? Did you have a choice? This is actually a major curiosity for me.

Question 2: Does the US service stay activated? And does the number change?

According to this from the Telestial site:
"Please note:Your United States Service is automatically deactivated 7 days after your last call or text message; however the remaining credit is not expired until 9 months after your last call or text message. To reactivate your United States Service, simply follow the initial activation instructions.
Your US number may change if you do not:
Activate your SIM card within 1 month of purchase
Use a charged service within 1 month of the initial activation
Purchase additional calling credit within 2 months of initial activation (if you haven't already done so at the time of purchase)" Interesting.

Question 3: Can you accidentily [or purposefully for that matter] make the phone think you should be charged as if your UK number is in the US?

Also from the Telestial site: "In the United States and Canada, you must activate your US service prior to making a call, and enter 2 followed by the PIN when turning your phone on. Failure to follow these steps will result in you being charged rates applicable to Zone 4."

Well then, here are some preliminary issues that I am sure users will want to be aware of and avoid when neccessary. Good luck to you bleeding edge folks!

I have an older Passport SIM without the Dual numbers. I have spoken to their Customer Service department. They said that if a friend in the U.S. calls my U.S. number, they pay nothing (if they have a U.S. cell phone with free U.S. roaming) and I will receive the call in Europe and only pay 19 cents a minute. This is a pretty inexpensive way for associates to call me. The extra connectiuon fee is not applied.

I am not sure why they shut down the U.S. number after 7 days. But reactivation is easy.

You must make one call or SMS every 9 months and recharge at least every 15 months.

As for activating the SIM with a code and #2 in the U.S. and #1 in Europe, I assume this is needed so the SIM knows where you are located. So if you make a call from the U.S. without that activation #2 code, you will pay $2.49 per minute instead of 49 cents per minute.

I don't know why they shut down the numbers that quickly. I have a friend who runs a small local VOIP service catering to small businesses. Level Three gives him Michigan DIDs for free. At the wholesale level, they is effectively no charge for these numbers.

My guess is that the numbers are tied to the carrier and they get a cheaper rate doing it this way.

The US number they're assigning is there for one reason only:
It helps US carriers identify the card as US SIM rather than a European one...(so it belongs to the US carrier involved in the deal). So the assigned US number is really there for Roaming purposes...as long as there is one assigned it really doesn't matter what it is...The expiry limits make it sound like some sort of Prepaid plan with one of the carriers..

It is likely that your own US DID forwarded to your +44 number will be more reasonably priced than receiving calls to your US number assigned to the SIM...

I am the CEO of ekit, the provider of the dual IMSI SIM currently being sold by Telestial, ekitís retail partner, and by other resellers via ekit. Telestial and ekit customers are purchasing and using this service today. If you are interested in experiencing the service for yourself I recommend you go to Telestial.com to purchase a dual IMSI SIM, or if youíre interested in reselling then please contact pauld@ekit-inc.com

In response to your questions:

Question 1: What area code did you get? Did you have a choice?

The dual IMSI SIM currently comes with either an LA or New York US number. There will be the ability to choose area codes in future.

Question 2a: Does the US service stay activated?

The US service, which is the ability to make outbound calls in the US and Canada, remains active as long as a call is made or text is sent once a week. Calls and text messages can be received on either US or UK number in the US and Canada at any time, even if the US service is not active.

Question 2b: And does the number change?

No, the number does not change if the US service is deactivated. You can receive calls and text messages on the US number even if the US service is deactivated. You retain the US number as long as the service is used once every nine months. You can receive calls or text messages on either the US or UK number at any time. Thank you for pointing out the current language needs to be clarified.

Question 3: Can you accidentally make the phone think you should be charged as if your UK number is in the US?

If you accidentally try to make a call in the US using the global (+44) service, the call is blocked, and you will receive a text message notifying you that your US service has been activated (if it wasnít already activated) and providing instructions on how to make a call from the US or Canada. You can receive calls or text message on either the US or UK number at any time.

I am the CEO of ekit, the provider of the dual IMSI SIM currently being sold by Telestial, ekitís retail partner, and by other resellers via ekit.

Welcome and thanks for joining us here. Thanks for clarifying my questions.

Quote:

Thank you for pointing out the current language needs to be clarified.

And here is the new clarified language:

Quote:

* Your ability to make outbound calls in the US and Canada is deactivated 7 days after your last call in the US or Canada, however the +1 number remains active and will receive calls and text messages for up to nine months after the last use of the service.

This makes a lot more sense for the customer--the phone number stays the same. And the ability to receive calls and text messages is not comprimised.

Is the logic of the 7 days before deactivation as a safeguard for Europeans rather than a 'nusiance' for [North] Americans?

Thanks again for responding and being here. It looks to be a very useful product.

I'm very happy to clarify. The feedback is very valuable as it helps us to refine the way in which we explain our services - which isn't always easy in the world of international telecommunications.

Yes, it is designed more as a safeguard for Europeans, and as a means of keeping the service inexpensive for European travellers to the US. European travellers using other global roaming services will be making good savings in most countries they travel (relative to roaming), with the exception of the US, where they will typically pay $1.50 to $3 per minute to make a call from the US. The US is one of the largest travel destinations for business and liesure travellers, which is a big hole for many alternate roaming service providers.

The major differentiator of the ekit dual IMSI service is that it enables much lower calling costs from the US (49c with ekit), as well as the rest of the world, in addition to the convenience of a US and UK number for friends and family to contact you.

I also have some questions. I have seen rates on telestial web site concerning the dual sim card. I noticed that there are no free incoming calls, not even in Europe. Can you verify if these rates apply on calls made on the +447 number?
Another issue is that some other carriers offering the dual sim card apper to offer coverage in 203 (!) countries, while your product claims coverage in 130 countries. How come?

Happy to assist if I can. If you receive calls to the +44 number, the calls are free in over 50 countries, including the US and much of Europe. If you receive calls to the +1 number, there is a cost of 19c/min.

Country coverage is determined by the roaming agreements in place between the telecommunication providers. This continues to change and grow as more roaming agreements are establsihed between telco providers. You are correct that ekit services currently have coverage in 130 countries.

I haven't seen a dual SIM card with coverage in over 200 countries. I have seen several organisations announce dual SIM card offerings in the press, however, I haven't seen another provider that is selling and operating a dual number service today.